Rope-clamping device.



PATENT ED MAR. 22, 1904.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12, 1903.

HQ MODEL.

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flttozwu UNITED STATES Patented March 22, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH LEIGHTHAM, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO JACOB NOLDE, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

ROPE-CLAMPING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 755,019, dated March 22, 1904. Application filed September 12, 1903. Serial No. 172,985. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J osnrir LEIGHTHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Reading, county of Berks, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rope-Clamping Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to ropeclamping devices adapted for conveniently securing clothes-lines and for other similar uses; and my main object is to provide an improved device of this character adapted to serve as a central connection for a series of lines extending in different directions therefrom, whereby each of said lines may be conveniently adjusted and firmly secured or quickly disconnected, as desired, and which may be also applied to other uses, as hereinafter indicated.

The invention is fully described in connec-,

tion with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features are particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan View, of a device embodying my improvements in preferred form, the full lines showing two lines of rope in clamped position on either side of the central ear and extending therefrom in four diflerent directions, while the dotted lines indicate possible extensions in other directions when desired.

In the drawings the device is represented as attached to the side of a post 1 by means of bolts or screws passing horizontally through its base-plate 2 and with the top edge 3 of the latter flush with or extending slightly above the top of the post. A vertical wing or pivoting-ear A projects at right angles from the plate 2 midway of its width, as shown, and a pair of clamping-levers 5 5 are preferably pivoted thereto at 6, one on each side of the ear. Each of these levers is formed with a hub 7 through which the pivot-pin 6 passes, and which serves to support, as'indicated, a line of rope 8, which is one of those clamped in the device and which is extended therefrom in the plane of the pivoted lever, and with a handle portion 9 and a cam-faced rope-engaging end 10, both of which normally lie below said line of rope 8, while the latter is clamped against the. adjacent face of the base-plate 2 by the transversely-serrated cam-face of the lever. In connection with the main levercarrying ear A I provide a guard-ear 11 for each lever projecting from the base-plate parallel with said main ear A, but only a suflicient distance to overlap the cam faced end of the clamping lever as the latter swings between it and the ear A in clamping the interposed rope or ropes. This guard-ear thus serves to positively retain the clamped ropes in the space between the ears. When the rope-engaging end of the pivoted clampinglever is swung downward, however, and away from the opposing surface of the base-plate 2, said end gets below the relatively small guard-ear 11, so as to allow the rope or ropes to be conveniently movedlaterally into or out of the clamping-space between the ears.

In the drawings two lines of ropes, arranged side by side, are represented as clamped by each lever on each side of the central ear A. In order to provide for extending these several lines satisfactorily in the different directions indicated, I preferably provide the up-- per edges of the base-plate 2 and ear A with projecting stops 12 and'13, so that the clamped ropes after being bent over the same may be extended therefrom in various directions; as indicated, the lines on one side'of the ear A being carriedin opposite directions, one bending over the top of plate 2 and the other resting on the hub 7 of the clamping-lever, while the ropes on the opposite side of the said ear are carried at right angles to the former, one line passing over the ear A and the other line bending over the guard-ear 11, as indicated, or if the latter be dispensed with two oppositely-extending lines may be supported upon the central ear A. Obviously, also, the number of lines of ropes may be readily increased by clamping a double layer between each lever and the base-plate, or a single lever may be employed with a single guard-ear 11, utilized as a support for a laterally-bent line of rope, as indicated. Also the device may be adapted for use in connection with a hoistrigging, either as apositive locking device or as a braking device, proper means being provided in connection with the lever in such casesfor suitably operating the same.

What I claim is- 1. A rope-clamping device comprising a base-plate having a levcr-carrying ear projecting therefrom at right angles, and a pivoted clamping-lever having a cam-faced rope-engaging end swinging adjacent to the opposing face of the plate, the upper edges of said plate and ear being provided with retainingstops for the clamped ropes bent over the same in different directions.

2. A rope-clamping device comprising a base-plate having a lever-carrying ear and a parallel guard-ear, and a clampinglever pivoted to said carrying-ear and having a camfaced rope-engaging end arranged to swing between said ears to clamp theinterposed rope or ropes, the upper edges of said plate and cars being provided with retaining-stops for the differently-extending ropes.

3. A rope-clamping device comprising a base-plate having a lever-carrying ear and a parallel guard-ear on each side thereof, similar clamping-levers pivoted to said carryingear one on each side thereof and each provided with a cam-shaped rope-engaging end adapted to swing between said levercarrying ear and an adjacent guard-ear, the upper edges of said lever-carrying ear and base-plate being provided with retaining-stops for the differently-extending ropes.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOSEPH LEIGHTHAM. Vitn esses:

1). M. STEWART, WV. Gr. STEWART. 

